What was wrong with PRS winged Tuners?

[GuitarJammin]

Ok..so now I've done my second string change on my 94 PRS with winged tuners. I absolutely love them! The guitar's tuning stability comes in fast. The string change method itself is very fast. When it comes to older PRS guitars I am quite a "Noob".

I'd like to ask what were the drawbacks, if any, to the winged tuners? Did people loathe or love them? Or were they replaced as part of Paul's ever evolving guitar design?

I like them quite a bit.

 

[dmatthews]

Ok..so now I've done my second string change on my 94 PRS with winged tuners. I absolutely love them! The guitar's tuning stability comes in fast. The string change method itself is very fast. When it comes to older PRS guitars I am quite a "Noob".

I'd like to ask what were the drawbacks, if any, to the winged tuners? Did people loathe or love them? Or were they replaced as part of Paul's ever evolving guitar design?

I like them quite a bit.

I think some of the criticism came from trying to get the end product to look like a "Christmas tree".

 

[Fullmoon 1971]

I prefer the winged tuners over the current version. As long as you know how to use them string changing and tuning to pitch is super quick, I can do a string and tune in around half the it takes me with current system. I also prefer the look of them over the modern ones.

My 2001 Standard 22 proudly displaying her wings

 

[ViperDoc]

I don’t have any experience with winged tuners, but I always wondered if they we’re more prone to catching on things, thus causing unplanned string ejection. They certainly look cool.

 

[GuitarJammin]

I prefer the winged tuners over the current version. As long as you know how to use them string changing and tuning to pitch is super quick, I can do a string and tune in around half the it takes me with current system. I also prefer the look of them over the modern ones.

My 2001 Standard 22 proudly displaying her wings

Right now this is the way I feel. I like the winged tuners more than the current system. I thought I'd make this thread to hear other people's verdict on them. Maybe things I might run into down the road.

 

[chicagoslim]

The biggest problem is when one would start slipping, you couldn't buy a replacement.

 

[GuitarJammin]

The biggest problem is when one would start slipping, you couldn't buy a replacement.

This is the kinda stuff I'm looking to hear as well. I wonder how common this problem can be? What can cause it and so forth. Guess I'll be digging into the forum a little bit here in a bit.

 

[GuitarJammin]

I don’t have any experience with winged tuners, but I always wondered if they we’re more prone to catching on things, thus causing unplanned string ejection. They certainly look cool.

With my limited experience I don't think this is an issue. I could be wrong...but the wings are very tight on mine under tension.

 

[Deleted member 5962]

I had trouble understanding how they worked at first. Once you get the hang of how to make them catch, where to line the holes up before starting, propping the bridge up to or above level prior to starting, etc., they work VERY well. I only have them on one of my 6 PRS's. Oooops!

 

[GuitarJammin]

.......... propping the bridge up to or above level prior to starting, etc., they work VERY well. I only have them on one of my 6 PRS's. Oooops!

I did not prop up the bridge to string up my guitar. I did not experience any issues with this on my first two restrings. I just followed the PRS youtube video on how to string up the guitar.

If there is another reason to do this to prevent wear or something to that effect I'm all ears.

 

[dogrocketp]

Sergio Deblanc to the courtesy phone. Mr Deblanc. I like them either way. To me it’s 6 of one, a half dozen of the other. The only downside I see is that they weigh more than the newer tuners. I’ve put wooden tubing buttons on both of mine the lessen the weight. It worked, and changed the EGlll sonically for the better.

 

[GuitarJammin]

In case anyone is wondering.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

What was wrong? Guitar players. Guitar players are what was wrong.

They can’t be bothered to learn new sh!t or change their habits. That’s why we have SS’s, 594’s, CU24’s with blade switches, and Floyd Rose trems on PRS now.

Look at the kind of dipsh!ts out there in the world:

 

[Deleted member 5962]

I did not prop up the bridge to string up my guitar. I did not experience any issues with this on my first two restrings. I just followed the PRS youtube video on how to string up the guitar.

If there is another reason to do this to prevent wear or something to that effect I'm all ears.

Any floating bridge goes full backtilt mode with strings off. If you leave it like that and put new strings on, you use a lot of the first wind just getting the bridge back up to level. I put something under the bridge before taking the strings off, that props it up to level or back tilted up, before putting the new strings on. Then you have less wrapped string and they come out as intended, instead of some of the "look at this" pics we've seen with people who don't know how to use their wings.

Edit: I see The Wingmaster has beat me to posting one of "those" pics. And something else that I'm not really sure what it is.

 

[GuitarJammin]

What was wrong? Guitar players. Guitar players are what was wrong.

They can’t be bothered to learn new sh!t or change their habits. That’s why we have SS’s, 594’s, CU24’s with blade switches, and Floyd Rose trems on PRS now.

Look at the kind of dipsh!ts out there in the world:

Very Solid explanation! I hope mine last in this PRS for a long time I'd hate to replace them.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

Very Solid explanation! I hope mine last in this PRS for a long time I'd hate to replace them.

No worries, John Mann has you covered!

 

[GuitarJammin]

Any floating bridge goes full backtilt mode with strings off. If you leave it like that and put new strings on, you use a lot of the first wind just getting the bridge back up to level. I put something under the bridge before taking the strings off, that props it up to level or back tilted up, before putting the new strings on. Then you have list wrapped string and they come out as intended, instead of some of the "look at this" pics we've seen with people who don't know how to use their wings.

Edit: I see The Wingmaster has beat me to posting one of "those" pics. And something else that I'm not really sure what it is.

Ah..ok. I see. I guess mine doesn't tilt back very much so I still came out ok. Thanks for explaining that!

Here is a pic of my recent finished restring on my guitar.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

In case anyone is wondering.

Skitchy is waaaaayyyy smarter and knows more about fixing, building, modifying, and… sh!t, just about everything about PRS guitars than I do.


However… I disagree with his method of aligning the wings and putting the high E string on so early.

The more tension you can put on the bridge before putting the B and high E string on, the better IMO. If you don’t have the slot aligned (or even at a negative axis, if that’s the correct term) straight with the nut slots, you’ll run the risk of the lighter strings having too much slack, and thus, f@cking up your Xmas tree.

I actually do the heavier strings first, tune them up past pitch, and then do B and E last while really pulling on those strings a bit.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

Ah..ok. I see. I guess mine doesn't tilt back very much so I still came out ok. Thanks for explaining that!

Here is a pic of my recent finished restring on my guitar.

Not bad! High five.

 

[Deleted member 5962]

Skitchy is waaaaayyyy smarter and knows more about fixing, building, modifying, and… sh!t, just about everything about PRS guitars than I do.


However… I disagree with his method of aligning the wings and putting the high E string on so early.

The more tension you can put on the bridge before putting the B and high E string on, the better IMO. If you don’t have the slot aligned (or even at a negative axis, if that’s the correct term) straight with the nut slots, you’ll run the risk of the lighter strings having too much slack, and thus, f@cking up your Xmas tree.

I actually do the heavier strings first, tune them up past pitch, and then do B and E last while really pulling on those strings a bit.

Don't laugh... I actually hold the string with needle nose plyers to pull it tight and ONLY use a string winder. Doing this, and propping the bridge UP before restringing, I can get all 6 on with less than 3/4 of a wrap. I believe propping the bridge upwards is a big part of this as I seem to get less wrap than when I just prop it level.